Jon Stryker, a Michigan native, has recently earned a spot on Forbes’ annual billionaire list, with a net worth of $5.3 billion. But unlike many of his wealthy peers, Stryker is using his fortune to drive social change and contribute to his community.
Born in Kalamazoo in 1958, Stryker attended Kalamazoo College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1982. While he worked as an architect, his immense wealth came from his inheritance in the Stryker Corporation, founded by his grandfather, Homer Stryker.
The company, a medical products giant, earned $18.4 billion in revenue in 2022. Though Stryker inherited a significant stake in the business, he has chosen not to work there, instead focusing his efforts on philanthropy.
In 2000, Stryker founded the Arcus Foundation, which has become a major force in supporting two key causes: the conservation of great apes and the advancement of LGBTQ rights. The foundation has awarded more than $500 million in grants, with Stryker personally pledging millions to causes close to his heart. His contributions include a $15 million donation to the ACLU Foundation in 2021, focusing on LGBTQ rights and HIV issues. Stryker’s advocacy extends to great ape conservation, with his work leading to naming a threatened species of ape, Rhinopithecus strykeri, in his honor.
Stryker’s philanthropic efforts have been wide-reaching and impactful. In addition to his role with Arcus, he co-founded Save the Chimps, a nonprofit dedicated to chimpanzee welfare. His donations have also supported racial justice and public health initiatives, such as a $5 million contribution to the Equal Justice Initiative for a memorial to victims of racial lynching and a $55 million donation to help communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
His alma mater, Kalamazoo College, has benefitted significantly from Stryker’s generosity. He donated $20 million in 2018 to create a scholarship program for students of color, first-generation students, and those from lower-income backgrounds. In 2021, he made the largest donation in the college’s history, a $23 million grant. Additionally, Stryker gave 22 acres of land to the Kalamazoo Nature Center to aid conservation efforts.
Having given away over $700 million throughout his lifetime, Jon Stryker’s commitment to philanthropy shows no signs of slowing down. His significant contributions to social justice, environmental causes, and education highlight his determination to use his wealth for the greater good. Recognized as one of the nation’s top donors by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Stryker’s legacy as a philanthropist continues to grow, cementing his place as one of Michigan’s most impactful figures.
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